


For Now

by fevered_dreams



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-13 12:03:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11184738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fevered_dreams/pseuds/fevered_dreams
Summary: A war between Altea and the Galra Empire brews on the horizon, and no one is prepared for what that entails. They all just want to do the right thing, but that may be the most difficult part.At least Keith has Lance to help walk with him down the path of war, even if Lance would rather swim.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i always start stories and then never finish them lol at myself
> 
> tho part of it is because i want to scrap what i have for my other stuff so i can start over idk
> 
> i've always wanted to write in a fantasy/magical setting so... here it is?

Fire. Screams. Crying, begging, pleading, and final whimper of resignation. The scent of blood with a base note of fear that lingered long after the metallic taste had evaporated away from the back of his tongue. The feeling of his feet pounding against the ground. Tears prickling against the corner of his eyes, which burned hotter than the fire breathing against the back of his shin.

"You may think me cruel now, but you cannot stay," Shiro had argued, thrusting his sword in Keith's hands. Keith had nearly dropped it as his sweat-slick hands lost traction on the hilt, but Shiro steadied his grip. "There is no hope for us here, but there may be some for you if you go now. Ignisi, too, cannot afford to be caught up in this chaos."

"But," Keith pleaded, gripping onto the other's arm, "what about you? You can't say that you're going to stay after sending me away like that!" More screams came, closer than before as the blaze crept closer like a stalking wolf towards its prey.

Fire wasn't supposed to be so terrifying to Keith; it had always been close to him, at times even a tool that he had control over, but, here, it was wild and free in a blaze indistinguishable from pandemonium so pure that he could scarcely discern it from a nightmare. The green embers that skittered across the ground and over the roofs felt like they were igniting from the back of Keith's eyes themselves as the edges of his vision twisted and blurred with images of horror that Keith had never known before.

Nothing made sense, but everything hurt as the tendons of his muscles seemed to prickle and burn right off the surface of his stripping skin.

Quickly, Shiro grabbed Keith by the arms, shaking him out of his reverie, and shook his head. "Do not fret, Keith. I'm certain we'll meet again. Just trust me."

Of course Keith trusted him. So, he ran, whispering to himself that it was for the best. There was no need for such overwhelming guilt. What else could he have done?

(A pretty lie. The guilt clung to him tightly, like a demon on his back hissing the truth into his ear. Nonetheless, his feet kept moving as quickly as ever. Keith supposed he simply was a coward.)

And, when weeks later Shiro had yet to resurface, despite the beacons that Keith had sent him, the ones that Shiro himself had taught him, Keith wept.

He wept until it stopped. And then, he rose and moved forward.

 

* * *

 

"Well, hello there!" a voice called out. Yet, Keith saw no one. Before long, a head popped out from under the surface of the nearby stream. "You're a new face. Not from around here, I presume?"

Keith studied the man; tanned with blue eyes that glittered captivatingly like the surface of the river he was lounging in, all topped off with a smile so carefree that Keith brimmed with envy. "No, I'm not."

"Of course not," the stranger replied breezily, crossing his arms on the bank before resting his head against them, "I would certainly recognize a face as charming as yours."

"Sorry, I don't have time for idle chat."

"Then what, pray tell, are you here for?" the man countered.

"I was hoping to find the Undine that resides in this lake. I've heard from the nearby town that she is a benevolent spirit that often aids humans in various requests, seemingly on a whim. I wanted to ask her something," Keith explained, "and, considering you are also here in this lake, I was wondering if perhaps you had seen her or encountered her before."

The man tilted his head, gaze unreadable as he studied Keith for a few moments. Then, he began laughing. As infuriating as it was to be mocked, the stranger's laugh twinkled prettily over to river's surface so much that Keith couldn't muster up enough energy to feel truly offended.

"What is it?" Keith asked, confused. "Please don't tell me those townspeople were simply toying with me."

"No, no, that's not it," the man responded once he had settled down with a sly smile and amusement swimming in his eyes, "but, I wonder. Did they tell you that the Undine residing in this river was a woman?"

"No," Keith said slowly. He recalled that they had all simply referred to the spirit as "the Undine" or even "our beloved Undine" with no sign of any indicative pronouns. Granted, Keith had quickly rushed away from the townsfolk towards the river as soon as he had gleaned the Undine's location, prematurely bringing a close to their conversation, but he hadn't expected anything of consequence to have arisen from his haste. In fact, it saved him time. "But aren't all Undines female?"

The man laughed again. "Ah, another one of you types. It's always fun to meet you."

"Please explain what you mean," Keith bit out slowly.

"What I mean is," and, with a sweeping splash of water, " _I_ am the Undine you happen to be searching for." Peering out from the surface of the lake was a beautiful tail adorned with scales comprised of innumerable shades of blue. It shimmered gleefully in the sun, and the light that bounced off the scales shone as brightly as the mocking laugh that Keith could nearly hear bubbling within the man's throat before they burst with unbridled delight. Most unfortunately of all, none of it seemed to be an elaborate jest; it appeared as though the tail truly did belong to the increasingly infuriating man smirking up at Keith.

Kneeling down, Keith peered under the surface of the river, and, lo and behold, his suspicions were true: it was the man's tail.

"Please don't stare at me so intently," the stranger - no, Undine - cooed playfully. "Such a strong gaze from such a handsome young man is simply too much for this fair maiden Undine to handle. There are no men of my kind, you see, so I am unaccustomed to such lascivious attention," he teased, eyes wide with feigned modesty. His sharp grin, corners twitching with the vestiges of mirth, gave him away, though.

"But," Keith floundered, rising up hastily, "I had read that Undines were only ever beautiful women..."

"Are you saying I'm not beautiful?" the Undine asked, tilting his head to look up at Keith with imploring eyes.

"I never said that. I just mean that you're most certainly not a woman."

"That's a relief," the Undine breathed, peering up at Keith through long lashes nested under a few errant beads of water that only served to intensify his gaze. "I spend a lot of time and effort to look like this, so I would be quite disappointed if my endeavors were ultimately for naught."

"Well-" Keith began.

"Anyway, where did you get that antiquated idea about all Undines being women?" the Undine asked, shifting slightly to rest his chin in the palm of his hand. "That Parascelsus? Or maybe weary a fisherman fresh off the coast of some serene little lake? Of course they would weave fantastical tales of beautiful water maidens vying for mortal mens' attentions; they're _men_ , and even the most gnarled trout can take on the appearance of some beautiful woman to a man who's lonely enough."

"I..." Keith stuttered.

"Really, now, you should get out more," the Undine swished his tail languidly. "You can't believe everything you read. Only children hold onto puerile thoughts like those. It's important for you to experience the world for yourself if you're ever to glean even the slightest understanding of what's right by the edge of your toes." He punctuated his words with a light tap of a slender finger on Keith's foot.

"Enough," Keith interrupted, pulling his feet away from the smirking Undine. "I now understand I was wrong, and I apologize. I did not mean to offend."

"Oh, I wasn't offended in the slightest. I greatly enjoyed the look on your face as the realization dawned upon you. Though, your face is handsome enough to look at either way."

"Nonetheless, I came to ask you for some information," Keith said. "I reckoned that, as an elemental Undine, you might be privy to knowledge that I haven't had luck finding elsewhere."

"Oh?" the Undine murmured, cocking his head to the side. The water lapped against his tan chest gently, like the caress of an old lover made anew. "And why did you come all the way here just for a little river Undine like me? You've mentioned before that you are not of these woods."

"No, but the spirits near my residence are either not particularly fond of interacting with mortals or... otherwise unavailable," Keith explained.

The vagueness of Keith's response was not lost on the Undine, but he thankfully deigned to ignore it. "That still doesn't explain why you came to _me_."

"I have been traveling for some time in my attempt to find the information I require, and I happen to stumble upon a few of the towns and villages nearby. Many of the residents spoke fondly of you as the patron Undine of the area, and those of the closest town instructed me to come here to find you and ask you for assistance," Keith said.

"I'm delighted to know that I'm so well-loved by this wood's people. Though, with my beauty and charm, my wide renown is to be expected, no?" The Undine preened happily as he sank his cheek into the water contentedly.

"Yes, well, taking your 'renown' into consideration," Keith began, "I was hoping you could help me."

The Undine drew his head back out of the water and looked up at Keith expectantly. "Well?"

"Well?" Keith echoed.

The Undine huffed. "You come here and expect me to help you without offering me anything in return? You are not even one of the humans of my wood. I have no obligation to help you."

Keith remained silent as he floundered for a response.

"You mortals are always so presumptuous," the Undine continued with an irritated flick of his tail. A few drops of water landed at Keith's feet and, if the Undine were more cat than aquatic creature, he probably would have his hackles raised ominously, too. "Running around, doing as you please with nary a care in the world as to the consequences you sow around you. Then, when you've finally realized the damage done, you come to us with your tails between your legs and tears in your eyes, begging for our help without considering your part in the issue. Worst of all, you even have the gall to do so without providing us anything for our troubles, as if we don't already tend to the elements to ensure your livelihoods." He huffed again. "At least the mortals of the past had the decency of giving offers, even if they could be a bit... grotesque."

"Now wait here," Keith began, edging towards the Undine, "you have no idea what I'm here for. How can you make such assumptions?"

The Undine snapped his tail again. This time, the motion generated a hefty splash that Keith suspected was meant to aim at his face, considering the water that he was assaulted with.

Keith spluttered as the Undine resumed. "Don't get cocky with me, human, or else I may not feel especially inclined to help you anymore."

" _Fine_ ," Keith snapped, brushing the water out of his eyes. "What should I do to curry your favor, then?"

The Undine's scowling face and furrowed brow readily transformed into a playful look, complete with once again bright eyes and an easy smile. "I don't want much, really. Are you aware of a sweet confection that looks like a bloom of colorful gemstones growing on a stick? They come in a variety of colors. I am quite fond of those."

"Rock candy?" Keith asked, unimpressed. "You want rock candy as my offering for you assistance?"

"I want one of each color."

" _That's_ what you want? Even a child could make rock candy."

"Then it shouldn't be difficult for you to procure some," the Undine breezed.

"It'll take at least a week to make, though," Keith argued.

"Then you better hurry up and start soon."

Keith sighed. "Alright, then. One of each color, you said?"

"Yes!" The Undine drifted away from the riverbank slowly, soft waves punctuating the silky curl of his tail through the water. Every once in a while, the light would hit a small expanse of scales that peeked out impishly above the water's surface, and the patterns of light that sprinkled and skipped over the river were mesmerizing.

They were almost as pretty as the satisfied gleam floating across the Undine's eyes.

Nodding, Keith began to walk away, mentally compiling a list of materials he would need to fulfill the Undine's request.

"Wait!" the Undine called out after him. "You're going to leave before even asking for my name or giving me yours? How are we going to find each other when you return to me next week?"

"Excuse me?" Keith asked, turning around.

"Oh, not only did you think that all Undines were female, but you don't believe we have names either? I can't decide whether you're simply ignorant by way of naïveté or a wrong touch of cruel."

Once again, Keith floundered.

"Since you seem otherwise preoccupied, _I_ will graciously begin the introductions. My name is Lance." The Undine rested his chin on his interlaced fingers as he gazed at Keith in anticipation. "And who might you be?"

"Keith. My name is Keith," and, looking at Lance's gentle smile, Keith couldn't help himself from smiling back.

 

* * *

 

"I would like to purchase a bag of sugar, a bundle of short bamboo sticks, and... seven jars or glasses, if you have them," Keith rambled out, pulling a handful of coins out of pack. "Oh, and food dye."

"This is an interesting bunch of goods you're purchasing," the shop clerk mused.

Keith sighed. "Your Undine requested that I make him some rock candy if I want his help. One of every color, apparently."

"Ah," the shop clerk mused quietly before laughing softly.

After his encounter with Lance, Keith had had his fill of others laughing at him for unknown reasons.

Thankfully, the shop clerk explained just what was so amusing without Keith having to prompt her, which was much welcomed, considering the fact that Keith was known for being 'socially abrasive'. "You should have mentioned as much earlier. We have a batch of rock candy here for him that are just about finished growing. If you want, you can deliver them to him."

"Pardon me?" Keith asked. "Do you regularly make confections for your patron Undine?"

"Oh, yes, our Undine is quite fond of them. I suspect that he enjoys them more for their appearance than the taste, but, nonetheless, he has a bit of a sweet tooth, so I hope they are enjoyable to him, nonetheless."

"I... see."

The shop clerk chuckled again. "We make them for the Undine as a sign of gratitude, and we usually have the children deliver them to him. Sometimes, they even make them, too. The Undine adores the little ones and never fails to entertain them. Those from the other towns come by with their own sweets on occasion, though no quite as often considering how far they are. Not to mention, the roads have been more treacherous considering the increasing strife that's been creeping into the country. The Galra Empire has become progressively aggressive, and it's a mystery what exactly the Alicante is doing about the whole ordeal."

"Yeah..." Keith trailed off.

"Anyway, it seems as though our Undine asked for some rock candy in exchange for the information you seek, yes?" the shop keeper asked.

"Yes, that seems to be the case."

"Honestly, I think he was teasing you. I wouldn't be surprised if our Undine was aware that it's near time for us to send down the children with the candy, so I think he devised up this whole scheme to see you flustered. If you had asked further, I'm sure he would have assisted you without any gifts."

"Really now?" Keith deadpanned.

"Oh, please don't be upset with him," the clerk implored as she began scooping up the coins Keith had given her. "He's yet young for an elemental spirit, so he enjoys a bit of light tomfoolery here and there. His actions are never borne out of spite or malice, though, and the results are overall harmless, so I pray that you don't think poorly on Lance."

"No, it's quite alright. I will admit, his words did hold more than a mere grain of truth, even if I was too incensed in the moment to appreciate them."

"I'm glad." The shop clerk finally finished collecting the coins before handing them back to Keith. "Then, I suppose you won't be needing those items anymore?"

"That appears to be the situation at present." Keith collected his coins with a sigh.

"But the sun will set soon, so I recommend waiting until tomorrow to visit him again. Our Undine has a habit of disappearing off somewhere once night falls; it's been proven surprisingly difficult to locate him at night. Not to mention, while not much strife has crawled its way around these parts as of yet, but it's better to be wary."

"Yes, of course," Keith agreed as he hoisted his pack further up his shoulder. "I suppose I will simply have to look forward to meeting the Undine again tomorrow."

If anyone were to accuse his voice of carrying a lilt of excited anticipation at the thought, Keith would deny it, even if it was a lie.

 

* * *

 

"Hey, Lance!" Keith called out across the river. The water was placid and clear, though the heavy shade of the overarching trees made it hard to see what lay underneath the surface. "I have the rock candy you requested!"

"So soon?" Suddenly, Lance's head and slim shoulders broke open the stillness of the water as he appeared right before Keith's feet that toed the river's edge. "If I recall correctly, you stated that it was take at least a week to procure some, yet not even has a full day passed since I last gazed upon your boyishly handsome face. I hope you haven't come to demand my help with a halfhearted promise, Keith."

"Of course not. I wouldn't dare do such a thing to you." Lance blinked his eyes slowly, mouth curling up prettily at Keith's words. "I simply had some help, though I suspect you're already aware," Keith retorted as he knelt down to better match Lance's gaze.

Lance playful grin twitched down into a barely concealed frown as he continued to study Keith's face. "I hope you're not too upset. It was merely an innocent jest."

Shiro had always warned Keith to control his expression better; according to him an more than just a few others, Keith's countenance was often painted with contempt, even when he otherwise felt nothing of the sort. It would not do to sour his relationship with an Undine simply because his brow preferred to be furrowed, so Keith smoothed his facial muscles as naturally as he could. "Do not worry, I'm not upset. Besides, it's not as though what you said yesterday was false. I apologize for being so presumptuous."

Lance's easy smile returned, and Keith tried not to feel so pleased at the sight. "I already said I wasn't looking for an apology, no? Either way, it matters not. I've come to realize that it is natural for the principal concern of mortals to be centered around transient rewards and relief. Your lives are so short, after all, especially you humans. It is no small task for you to consider the world on a larger scale when you have no understanding of the grand scope life. How can I fault you for being ignorant on matters that are impossible for you to ever truly fathom?"

"Still, it's regrettable."

Lance cocked his head to the side, and, for the barest moment, his smile fell. "Isn't it?"

Keith didn't like to see Lance without a smile, which was mildly concerning. "Anyway, here they are," Keith hastily said as he pulled out the sweets from his bag. "One of each color."

Once again, Lance's face lit up as he slid forward to take the confections out of Keith's hand, tail swishing through the water lazily. "Now, will you help me?" Keith asked.

"Yes! I always keep my word. But first..." Lance plucked the red chunk of rock candy out of his grip and placed it back into Keith's hand. "Why don't you take this one? It matches that red dragon you've been keeping hidden away, after all." Lance pointed with his free hand at the sheathed dagger affixed to Keith's hip.

"How did you know?" Keith wondered, clutching his dagger to his side protectively.

Lance shrugged, his mouth currently occupied with the blue-hued rock candy. And Keith wasn't staring at Lance as he licked up the sugar crystals, of course not. "I assumed that, if you had enough faith in my abilities to collect information, you wouldn't be so surprised at me discovering the existence of your companion. In fact, I'm the one who's probably the most surprised between the two of us. How did someone like you manage to secure such an impressive creature holed up in that unassuming dagger there?"

"'Someone like me?'" Keith grumbled.

The look Lance gave Keith was most characteristically unimpressed. "I'm a Dragoon Knight from the capital of Altea, Alicante," Keith explained Ignisi is my bonded dragon."

"How odd," Lance murmured breezily. "You don't strike me as one of the illustrious Dragoon Knights. In fact, to my knowledge, only a handful of knights currently exist. It seems that many dragons have been less than taken with the potential candidates recently. You must be a special one, then."

"Anyway," Keith interrupted, "I'd like you to hear out my request now."

"Alright, alright," Lance sighed. "No need to snap at me. I'm simply complementing you. Besides, you haven't even started eating your rock candy, even though I was so kind as to personally give it to you."

Keith huffed and stuck the candy into his mouth to appease the damn infuriating Undine. Annoyingly, it was quite delicious. Sweet, like the sugar soaked smile seeping across Lance's face.

"Now, ask what you will."

"There's this small village by the name of Vargon. The village itself is not especially noteworthy, being small with no specialized commodity to its name, but it is close to the capital and crosses paths with a major trade route. A few weeks ago, a fire erupted in the center of town, seemingly out of nowhere. It burned hotter than any flame I've encountered before, and its bright green color was surely not produced naturally. The whole village was destroyed," Keith explained quietly, eyes far-off to stare at the junction between Lance's torso and his tail.

Despite the fact that Lance's tail, too, shone with vibrant greens under certain wavelengths of light, it calmed Keith to take it in, even if it was just by the slightest bit. Not to mention, the small curve of Lance's back was enticing in its own right.

"So," Keith continued, "I was wondering if you have any information surrounding the circumstances of the fire. None of the people I've asked know anything about it, so I decided that consulting an elemental spirit might be more helpful, and the Sylphs are quite flighty." Afterwards, Keith resumed eating his gifted rock candy to occupy himself as he waited.

Meanwhile, Lance peered at Keith thoughtfully for some moments, finishing his own sweet. Finally, he responded with barely more than a whisper. "And by the a few weeks ago, would that specifically be a little over three weeks ago?"

"Yes," Keith breathed. His mind fired with both relief and anxiety. Here it was. Some answer, even if it might not be the answer he wanted or envisioned. Though, Keith wasn't sure what he even wanted to hear.

Lance, too, breathing out sadly before speaking. "You are correct in your assumption that the fire was unnatural. It rained in that village so afterwards, while the vestiges of magic still lingered in the soot and soil. I've heard from the water in my ear that it was definitely magical in origin. Whether or not it was from an arcanist or witch, though, I cannot say."

"The water can't tell you that?" Keith asked.

Lance shook his head. "The water relays to me what it feels and knows. What the water experiences, it conveys to me. It is quite possible that it did tell me as much. However, even it tells me something, I can only understand as much as I already know. I'm aware that that doesn't make much sense, but, overall, it's a fault of mine; mortals with control over magic tend to keep to themselves, isolated in small packs and generally self-sufficient. It can be difficult even for spirits to have any contact with them, and, as a result, I have little knowledge about them. So, even if the stream did tell me precisely who or what caused the fire, I wouldn't be able to understand it due to my own lack of fundamental understanding about them."

"I see," Keith sighed.

"Honestly, I think that the current Elven princess of yours would be more knowledgable about this than me. Princess Allura was her name, correct? As a Dragoon Knight, you must be able to get into contact with her somewhat easily."

"No," Keith lamented, "the Princess has gone into hiding after the incident at Vargon remained a mystery. I have no means of contacting her at this time."

"Ah. I haven't heard of that, yet, but it's probably for the best, even if it is somewhat unfortunate for you." Lance sighed. "I'm sorry, but that's the extent of the information I can provide you. Though, if you have any more information about the event, perhaps I can help elucidate some of it."

"Such as?"

"Well, I do know a basic distinction between witches and arcanists, though that's about as far as my knowledge extends. Tell me, did you notice anything amiss besides the fire?" Lance twirled the tip of his fin thoughtfully. "For example, any overwhelming negative emotions or strange sensations at the corner of your visions?"

Keith paused, considering the question. "Yes, actually. What does that mean?"

"Arcanists' powers are highly-centered around the elements and its derivatives. If I had to give a crude definition, their magic is a bit more straightforward, though ultimately that's still not very representative. Regardless, a witch's magic errs more on the side of illusions, deception, and the like. A high-level witch can likely toy with a person's mind and perceptions with little effort, which might explain the emotions you felt. Furthermore, the distortion of your vision may be a result of your mind trying to overcome an illusion. If that's true, then it's possible that there was never an actual fire at the village."

"But the village was definitely burned down when I revisited it later!" Keith argued.

"It's simply conjecture. At the same time, maybe there was also an arcanist there too, or what you experienced may have arisen from your naturally heightened emotional state in response to a traumatic event. I apologize, but it's impossible to know for certain at this point."

Keith exhaled tiredly. "No, please don't apologize. You've helped more than enough." He dipped his hand into the river. The water conveyed all that it experienced to Lance? Keith wondered if Lance was being told the feeling of the water swirling through his fingers at that very moment.

"Well," Lance began suddenly, moving his considering face closer to Keith's downtrodden one, "I can tell you something that has been occurring recently that might be relevant."

"Oh?"

"Recently, strange things have been cropping up in various places across Altea," Lance said. "From what the water has told me, they seem to be akin to portals. They don't last long, probably because they are highly unstable due to the amount of energy and skill required to generate them, even for exceptionally-skilled magic users. However, the frequency of their appearance seems to be increasing, alongside the amount of time they last before they collapse."

"Are these portals more aligned with the powers of an arcanist or a witch?" Keith asked.

"I'm inclined to say witch, but I think that an arcanist could potentially create them, too, depending on the means. I'm not sure about the details regarding that matter."

"And you think this might be related?"

Lance shrugged. "It's possible. A few drops of water that have spoken to me recently have mentioned that the Galra Empire seems to have acquired some magic users to work for them."

"Gods," Keith breathed quickly. "You suspect that what struck Vargon was an attack by the Galra Empire?"

"I do not know," Lance responded sadly, "but it is a possibility, and the only thing I can give you right now."

Quickly, Keith rose to his feet. In his haste, he nearly lost his footing and slid into the river, but Lance quickly shot a hand out to stead Keith's stance. Despite the cool water dripping off his fingers, Lance's hand was warm. "Then I must find one of these portals."

"Excuse me?" Lance asked incredulously. "Why?"

"To gain access into the Galra Empire," Keith answered, flustered.

"What?"

Keith shook his leg out of Lance's grip. It felt cold in the absence. "I have to get into the Galra Empire. He's probably there."

"I don't understand," Lance said, watching Keith worriedly. "You can't tell me that you truly intend to go to the Galra Empire alone and expect to come out alive."

"I'm not alone," Keith countered, gesturing to his dagger, "I have my partner with me."

"Oh, as if one dragon is going to make much of a difference," Lance argued frantically, swimming over to follow Keith's movements. "Dragons may be skilled at shrugging off normal weapons, but it's not as though they have a particular resistance to magic, if there really or witches or arcanists aiding the Galra Empire in their efforts, and, even were there none, even the strongest of dragons couldn't withstand an attack from a whole fleet of regular soldiers."

"I also have this." Keith gripped his sword tightly.

"But it's not even attuned to you!"

"Regardless, I can use it."

"An oddity, that's for certain, but that doesn't make it your saving grace," Lance retaliated. Keith continued to walk. "Please, Keith, don't be rash! As a Dragoon Knight, your life is not simply your own; you're going to put your dragon in harm's way, too. I didn't tell you about the portals to spur you into suicidal ideation! If I had known you were this reckless, I never would have told you."

"It's too late to be saying that. Anyway, Ignisi supports my decision and will willingly join me through it."

"Then you're both pitiful fools." Lance spared one last desperate glance at Keith before groaning in resignation. "Fine, go. I know that look. I can see in your eyes that you will do whatever you please."

Keith nodded.

"But first, at least let me give you something," Lance said.

"Oh, another gift? I'm flattered," Keith teased, though Lance's gaze in response was not amused.

"Wait here." Abruptly, Lance dove under the surface of the, the fin at the end of his tail sending him off with a brisk flick. Some time later, Lance returned to the edge of the river near Keith's feet before beckoning Keith to lean down. "Here." From within his clenched fist, Lance dropped a small light blue jewel that shone almost as brightly as Lance's eyes into Keith's hand. "I hope that it serves you well."

"Thank you," Keith whispered. It was smooth and left a warm sensation in his palm, like a mother's kiss. "I must hurry."

"Yes, of course," Lance breathed back wistfully. "You mortals are always in a hurry. I suppose it's because you have so little time here in the first place. That fact makes it even more tragic to me that you feel so inclined to rush to your death like this."

Keith shook his head and flashed Lance a sad smile. "I won't die. Not soon, at least."

"Your deaths always come soon to me."

Keith couldn't muster up a response that Lance deserved, so he simply turned on his heel and marched away from the riverbank. In the back of his head, Ignisi crooned dejectedly.

'Were you fond of him?' Keith pondered, stroking the sheath of his dagger. 'You didn't even interact with him.'

Ignisi didn't respond and simply continued to croon for quite some time. Keith understood his sentiments well enough, regardless. They were the same as his own, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lance is 4 sure a water spirit and no one can tell me otherwise haha
> 
> nonetheless, i hope characterization was ok and the pacing wasn't too boring?
> 
> they talked for longer than i expected this chapter lol


	2. Chapter 2

He was hot. But then he was cold. And then lightening struck through his veins as his muscles thrashed violently in protest with each subsequent spark that erupted through every cell in his body. In the back of his mind, Ignisi growled, hissed, and screamed. Keith couldn't understand what he was saying, though; his head spun, and, while he recognized the syllables of Ignisi's words, he couldn't focus on them enough past the pain to make any sense of it all. The only thing he had enough mind to pay attention to was the figure leaning over him. It moved closer towards him, and Ignisi began to calm to down as the mysterious person just nearly came into focus in the fringe's of Keith's consciousness. As soon as the stranger was there, however, all of Keith's perception of the mysterious figure was lost.

A gentle hand graced across Keith's forehead, and the world slowed into a settle right before his eyes. Ignisi crooned soothingly as a tired groan fell from Keith's lips.

The figure spoke. Or, at least, Keith assumed that the stranger spoke. However, all that Keith could register was garbled speech and a soothing touch.

Keith attempted to respond but all that came of his mouth, heavy and laced with the faint taste of iron and dirt, were more garbles.

The stranger continued to brush its hand against Keith's forehead, damp with sweat and furrowed in pain, before moving to slowly stroke Keith's hair.

It felt good, like the lapping of cool water against his body in the midst of a sweltering hot day. If Keith let himself sink down a little further, then the surface of the water would overtake him, and then perhaps he would finally be able to relax and let himself be taken away by the slow tide.

 

* * *

 

 

"It took you a surprisingly short amount of time to get here," Lance whispered, brushing some of the dirt off of Keith's face. Some of the deep-crusted bits required a few flicks of Lance's nails, but Keith didn't seem to register it at all in his sleep. "To be frank, I did not expect you to be this efficient. I suppose this is my punishment for underestimating the abilities of Altea's highly-prized Dragoon Knights. Now look at us." He spotted the broken remnants of the summoning stone he had given Keith a few days prior and sighed.

"And you," Lance said, turning around to examine the small red dragon crouching protectively by Keith's unconscious body, "seem to be alive as well, thankfully. Though," Lance examined the dragon's left wing, covered in congealed blood, "I assume that you are unable to simply transform into your true size and fly us out of here with your current condition?"

The dragon huffed with what Lance assumed was a resigned tone of air.

"Well, no helping that. Regardless, even if you were well, I doubt that we would be able to fly back into Altean land with no trouble from the Galra Empire. Perhaps it's for the best that you're injured; you'll be less conspicuous in your reduced form. If necessary, I can simply paint you as a slightly misshapen cat. I hope you can fake a convincing meow."

The dragon huffed again. This time, Lance got the distinct impression that he was a hair unimpressed.

"Keith mentioned your name once, didn't he?" Lance mused as he began hauling Keith off of the ground to drape him halfway onto his shoulder. The dragon, too, hopped lightly onto Lance's free shoulder. "Ignisi, was it?"

The dragon crooned happily, the noise high yet light as he released a small puff of fire into the air.

"Hey!" Lance exclaimed as he flinched away from the heat. "At least warn me next time! I take great pains to make my face look this nice; I would be quite upset if you scorched it, _especially_ if it happened by an unfortunate accident."

Ignisi looked vaguely pleased with himself.

Lance sighed, though he keep an amused smile from creeping across his face. "At least your ability to produce fire has remained intact. We're close to the border, though, so hopefully you won't need to expend too much energy before we're out of the Galra Empire. You look worn out enough as it is."

Their slow trudging remained fairly unmemorable for roughly half an hour, save for a small incident that had resulted in Lance stumbling over a particularly bulbous branch, sending Keith flying out of his grip. "Oh, shit."

Ignisi, instead of being concerned, simply released a staccato stream of air puffs that Lance could only compare to laughter as Lance scrambled to pick Keith up off the ground.

For being a dragon whose words Lance could not in the slightest understand, Ignisi was still quite straightforward.

Thankfully, he appeared to have gained no new wounds and barely stirred at the fall, though it might've been better if he had awoken from it. That way, Lance wouldn't be forced to haul him around like a piece of game.

"Don't look at me like that," Lance had grumbled at Ignisi, hastily dusting Keith off before replacing him over his quickly aching shoulder. "While your knight may look as lean as a fresh fawn, he weighs as much as a full-grown elk, horns and hide included. I'm not sure what they're feeding you lot in the capital, but perhaps they should stop."

Ignisi huffed at Lance with faux-flippancy, and Lance finally understood why such a revered creature would choose to ally himself with Keith; they were both insufferably endearing.

After that, they moved steadily through a thicket nearby that provided them with some coverage against the heavy sun in the sky that bore down over Lance's brow with an almost unbearable intensity. In addition, there was a surprising lack of Galran soldiers stationed around, which was puzzling to Lance. Considering the fact that the Galra Empire and Altea were not on friendly terms, to put it as lightly as possible, he was surprised that the approaching border was not as heavily guarded as he expected.

Luckily, the few soldiers that were nearby posed little threat. The air was dry with the sun so high in the sky, and the soil itself was quite barren as well, so Lance had little water available to him. However, they had stumbled upon a pretty Sylph who had agreed to help shield them from the soldier's eyes with some light and leading winds to distract their gaze.

"Do you think I am betraying my people by offering you my aid?" the Sylph had wondered, dark red lips curled up by the seams at Lance's questioning look. "It's quite the opposite, actually. The sooner you leave this land, the less of a threat you pose to them. The soldiers the Galran Emperor has been stationing by the border as of late are weak, young men that have barely finished their training. I am unsure why, but I am sure that, if you do come to blows with them, they will not fare well." She sniffed, and the winds around them picked up. "So it'd be best for us all if you just give them no trouble and leave. Besides, I'm not overly fond of unsightly bloodshed around my grove, and there's been more than enough of it without your presence."

Soon afterwards, the Sylph had sent them off with an indifferent wave of her hand and flick of her wrist through her dark hair, pushing their way forward with guiding wisps of wind that gently fluttered through the cracks between the leaves. Lance, foolishly, was beginning to think that their grueling adventure across foreign territory that he had initially anticipated would ultimately turn into a simple trip through the forest.

Of course, that would be far too much to ask for.

Near the edge of the woods, a harsh rustling of the surrounding greenery struck. Despite the sense of dread creeping up his throat, Lance fervently hoped that it was simply that Sylph playing one last trick on them before they returned to Altea. They were known to be flighty and fond of tomfoolery, after all. However, as the rumbling turned to a sonorous pounding against the compact dirt, sending shockwaves through the trees, Ignisi began to fuss as Lance moved as quickly as he could with a sack of deadweight slung unceremoniously over his shoulder.

They weren't nearly quick enough, though, as a hulking creature appeared to their side. It looked vaguely like a wild boar, except it was much larger and adorned with a pair of tusks that looked as though it could even tear apart a full-sized dragon unfortunate enough to be trapped beneath its thick hooves. Ignisi seemed to realize as much himself, though he stood tall nonetheless and prepared himself for a fight.

"Don't move!" a voice called out suddenly from above. "You'll only provoke it!"

"Provoke it?" Lance parroted skeptically, fitting his gaze to find this new mysterious person while keeping the creature in the corner of his sight. "It already looks quite provoked to me."

The person's figure appeared to be that of a man, and his voice, while distorted by his mask, was deep. However, it was difficult to know with any certainty as the figure was covered shrouded in dark armor speckled with touches of purple that glowed with what looked to be quintessence. Nonetheless, the figure leapt down by Lance from the tree he was perched upon with a light touch. Instinctively, Lance gripped Keith against himself protectively. Paces away, the creature continued to watch them with restlessness that seemed to grow almost as quickly as Lance's mounting trepidation.

"That boar-"

"That creature is _no_ wild boar," Lance interrupted curtly, flicking his head in agitation. "At least, it's no wild boar that I've ever seen, and I doubt that so much has changed in the Galra Empire these past years to have produced something like _that_ from the wild."

"That boar," the stranger continued patiently, "is a monster that has been corrupted by impure quintessence. Now, it is no more than a mindless monster driven its desire to destroy all that crosses its path."

"Corrupted by quintessence? Has the Galra Empire finally managed to harness quintessence?" Lance asked, glancing at gashes of apparent quintessence buried in the stranger's armor.

"Has it truly been that long since you've left for Altea?"

"It's not polite to answer a question with a question," Lance responded testily.

"I assume you don't remember me, then?"

"If you removed that oppressive helmet and showed me your face, perhaps I would. It sounds like you remember me, though."

The stranger nodded but made no attempt to reveal himself. "It has been some time, but yes, I do. You haven't changed much at all, so it was not particularly difficult to recognize you."

Lance sighed. "I almost forgot how long a Galran's lifespan can go."

To their left, the creature, apparently a monstrosity borne from a wild boar, began to dig at the ground in displeasure, bright red eyes fixed intensely on them. Suddenly, the stranger pulled Keith into his grasp and hauled him into the branches of the thickest tree near them.

Lance had no chance to protest before the boar began charging at them.

"Come, follow me!" the stranger called out as he jumped down and began weaving through the thicket, leading them away from where he had left Keith.

"What is going on?" Lance demanded as he and Ignisi, who had mustered up the strength to glide behind them in the advent of this new crisis even as the wound on his wing glistened with blood, nearly lost themselves as the stranger took a sharp turn ahead of them. Luckily, the boar, while powerful and quick, was also dumb; every time they took an unexpected turn, it took the animal quite a while to regain its footing.

"We need to deal with that creature, or else we'll have no hope of escaping this wood alive," the stranger responded, voice slightly muffled from the helmet and exertion.

As if on cue, Ignisi snapped his head to the side to send a sharp stream of fire at the approaching creature. The flames engulfed its body and sent the boar reeling. Lance was only afforded a few moments of hopeful rest, however, before the boar staggered slowly back to its feet. Its fur was horribly singed, and some of its skin seemed to peel away from the rest of its body like bark off of a tree, leaving behind the scent of burning flesh and hair wafting over the winds still pushing them to the exit that nearly had Lance gagging. But still, it stood.

Ignisi screeched in displeasure as the stranger urged them to move again, sending them further in with another series of sharp turns.

"It's not going to be taken down that easily," he explained. "The quintessence fuels the monster even better than blood."

"Then what can we do?" Lance asked. They slowed their pace by a hair now that the boar's movements were sluggish from the pain, but the urgency hammering in Lance's heart remained ever fierce.

"We need to strike it down with a more targeted attack. Lance, you can produce precise streams of high-pressured water, can you not? Perhaps something like that will be able to break through the boar's hide to weaken it enough that other attacks will be effective. Or, if your aim is impressive enough, it'll be able to fell the beast in a single shot."

"Oh, so you even know my name, do you? If you know that much, then you should know that my aim is outstanding." Lance chuckled humorlessly, his breath escaping his chapped lips in bursts of air laden with fear and fatigue. It had been some time since he had last spent so much time on his legs as opposed to swimming through his pretty little river. His stamina was quickly failing him. Lance felt as though his lungs were burning as hot as Ignisi's flames with how hot every labored breath that stuttered out of his mouth was. "The water and air here is much drier than I remember, so I doubt that I'm able to siphon enough water from the surroundings to be of any use. I may be able to extract some from the boar's blood, but it's going to take me some time to separate the water from the other fluids mingled within."

The stranger nodded quickly and set to work. Ignisi continued to fire off small pockets of fire at the boar as the stranger began to shoot arrows dipped with quintessence that flew through the air in a piercing purple blaze. Despite the prickling of his legs that begged to collapse underneath him, Lance focused at his task as much as he could manage while running.

Fortunately, each attack slowed down the boar further, which gave Lance at least a semblance of a break to regain himself. Eventually, they left it a mangled mess of flesh giving away to shredded muscle and sinews of tendon, pools of blooding dripping off and leaving the floor seeped in blood whose color was erred on the side of plum red from all the quintessence swimming in it. Having the blood outside of creature made the extraction simpler, despite how unsettling the sight was, and, finally, Lance had managed to siphon off just enough.

He drew the water to himself, as molecules to drops to pools. It danced, sang, and breathed under Lance's grasp as he compressed and constricted it through a series of pushes and pulls. Tempted as he was to let the water flow happily and freely as it wished, Lance kept the water taut to his control to prevent it from escaping into the parched air, and finally gave it the final stretch it needed.

Just as the boar began to rise again, its battered legs trembling with effort and rage, Lance set the stream loose in-between its still bright eyes. The stream burst from his finger tips smoothly down his line of sight, quick, precise, and powerful. The boar flinched at the sight, but couldn't move away nearly fast enough before it struck and flashed into the boar's head and out from its rear in a split second before Lance let the water go and let it fall to the ground alongside the beast.

As the creature let out a piercing cry that grated through Lance's skull painfully as it crashed, a massive thunderclap of sound rocked the area as the fell and, ultimately, remained prone.

"That Sylph isn't going to appreciate this bloody mess we've left behind," Lance murmured tiredly to himself before to slumped to the ground in exhaustion. Ignisi, too, floated towards him in stilted bursts before he draped himself over Lance's sweat-soaked shoulder with a defeated croon. With the threat of that monstrous boar finally behind him, Lance could begin to taste the dryness prickling down his throat and the heat-soaked weakness in his bones.

Gods, it hurt.

"You cannot dally here," the stranger announced, interrupting Lance's hazy thoughts. "You are so close to the border. It would be best if you retrieved your partner and made haste and returned to Altea as soon as possible."

"Shit, I almost forgot about him." Lance attempted to rise, but his knees gave out from under him and collapsed back down wearily. "He best still be well after all that I just went through all of this for him." He glanced at Ignisi. "Though, if something had befallen him during this _grand_ battle we just suffered through, I suppose you would've noticed."

Ignisi growled quietly in response.

"Here," the stranger handed Lance a vial, "drink this, both of you. It'll quench your thirst while revitalizing you for some time."

"And why should I trust you?" Lance asked, though he was already bringing the vial to his lips. "How do I know that this isn't some strange plan you've schemed up to defeat this beast before you ultimately off us, too?"

"I wouldn't do that to you, Lance."

Lance shook his head with an amused scoff at the man's familiar tone, swallowing three deep gulps. The liquid felt cool running down his throat and into his core, and he could feel his body being soothed immediately. Ignisi, too, drank the rest eagerly after a brief sniff. "It's strange to be back here. Especially because never did I expect to have someone remember me." He turned to return the now empty vial. "But, by the Gods, I definitely never expected the Galra Empire to have managed to harness quintessence this effectively this quickly, much less as a means of creating these horrible monsters."

"Much has changed since you left."

"Yes, apparently it has." Lance paused. "Then is it true? The Galra Empire now has acquired allies well-versed in magicks?"

The stranger fell silent for a few moments before responding. "Whether they are allies or not is still unclear to me, but they are here."

"Why did you help us? Are we from Altea not your enemies?" Lance asked. The question had flashed through his mind at the beginning of their meeting, but, once the boar had begun attacking him, he couldn't find it in his mind to dwell on the thought over his need to survive. However, now, crouched on the floor with a weary dragon on his shoulder while looking up at a strange figure from the Galra Empire standing over him like a guardian force, it had returned to Lance almost of powerfully as the stream of water he had unleashed earlier.

"Does the reason matter now?" the man questioned in turn.

"I suppose not."

Slowly, Lance rose again, this time with enough strength to follow the stranger back to where they had left Keith. After all the convoluted turns they had taken through the forest, they had just about completed a full circle back to their starting point, and only mere minutes later did they return. Up in that tree, Keith remained, and, after the stranger had brought him back down, he looked infuriatingly peaceful as he still slept.

"Now go," the man ordered. "Even if that Sylph is still using her winds to shield you from the sight of the nearby Galran soldiers, the commotion of our encounter with that creature will surely draw their attention, and you're much too weak to face them now."

"What will you do?" Lance whispered.

The stranger shook his head. "I will be fine. In fact, I will escort you to the border, or, at least as far as I can."

This time, the remainder of the journey was actually uneventful. At the border itself, there were no guards stationed on either side; it was easier to prevent an accidental invitation to war, that way, so they were able to slip across easily. At the last step, Lance turned to bid the stranger farewell, but he was already walking away, the paces he stayed behind turning into leagues away. Lance let out a heavy sigh laced with questions, but left them behind as he crossed over.

 

* * *

 

 

Unlike the blistering heat that had plagued the woods they had just escaped, the air of the edge of Altea was damp and heavy with water. Even just breathing the vapor in was soothing to Lance. The rain clouds approaching them were also a sign of things to come, and while Ignisi hissed at the incoming storm, Lance was beyond delighted at the promise of being able to feel water against his skin again. Keith was still weak and susceptible to illness, though, so Lance bid the water to fall away from him and Ignisi.

As the drops bounced off of his skin, Lance received welcoming kisses and flashes of information from them: most importantly, their location. Their current position lay more towards the east of the country where there were more inhabitants and trade routes closer to the border due to a lack of many past hostile encounters between Altea and the Galra Empire on this side. Furthermore, one of Lance's siblings, Alda, resided not too far off alongside a quaint but friendly village inhabited by a kindly and skilled sage.

At least, if Lance were in a more suitable mood and physical status, the village would not feel so far off. However, as he was, generally healed yet still bone-weary from that boar with a log of a man hanging off his shoulder, even a mere three miles felt like an eternity away.

As if capable of reading his mind - or perhaps sensing the pained resignation in Lance's embarrassingly heavy sigh - Ignisi hovered over in front of Lance, showing off his left wing, now healed from the tonic the stranger had given them earlier, chirping excitedly.

"What is it? You offering to fly us over?" Lance asked.

Ignisi hummed in verification.

"I'm not sure if that's wise. Though that tonic has mended your wounds, it may yet be too much strain on you to carry both of us."

Ignisi examined Lance with an dispassionate gaze as his eyes roved up and paused at Lance's shaking limbs full of judgement. If he weren't so impressed at the dragon's ability to wordlessly convey emotions, Lance would've been offended.

"Fine, do as you wish. Now that we're in Altean territory, there's less risk to us for flying over, anyway," Lance resigned with exaggerated surrender, despite the fact he nearly wept with joy after finally setting Keith down on the ground.

Beside them, Ignisi quickly grew in size. Even though the transformation didn't seem to cause the dragon much harm, Lance instinctively winced at the small sounds associated with the stretching of bones and skin that Ignisi underwent in accommodation. The process passed by quickly, though, and soon standing in front of Lance was that same cute little dragon, but now much larger and a touch more intimidating.

Carefully, Lance settled Keith onto Ignisi's back by manhandling him into position. At his side remained his dagger, now quiet without Ignisi within. The sword, on the other hand, was still filled with a heavy presence. Even dormant, the aura within radiated with a sharp power that pulsed boldly.

After this whole time, Lance was surprised that Keith was still asleep and wondered whether or not he should begin worrying. At the same time, Ignisi seemed unperturbed with his partner's state, and Lance figured he would know best regarding Keith's condition; they were soul bound, after all.

Eventually, Lance sat himself upon Ignisi's broad back and gripped onto both Ignisi and Keith tightly as they rose into the air. Lance was partial to the feel as cool water surrounding him as it caressed sweetly over his skin, and he imagined he always would be. He couldn't help it; it was in his nature. However, the sensation of whipping winds rushing around him with unbridled ferocity and freedom was enticing in its own right, and Lance was determined to enjoy it while it lasted, even if the feel as Ignisi's rough scales under his legs was not exactly pleasant.

He didn't have to suffer through the chafing for long, though, as they soon reached the village Lance directed them towards according to the words of the rain. They landed outside, much to the wonder of many of the villagers as they gazed at the dragon in wonder, before Lance once again hauled Keith over his shoulder as Ignisi once again shrank down to a less intimidating size.

The villagers were as hospitable as the water had depicted them to be, and they readily pointed them towards the resident sage with worried smiles and wishes for future health. The sage, too, welcomed them with few questions, which Lance was grateful for.

"Will he be alright?" Lance asked as the sage examined Keith with a series of enchantments. Ignisi lounged at the foot of the bed, lazily lapping up at some water the sage at given him after he had scarfed down a generous helping of raw meat. "He has been unconscious for quite some time, and he has slept through... a fairly large commotion, to say the least."

The sage hummed as he tipped a glass of water into Keith's mouth, rubbing his throat to help coax the liquid down. "Do not fret, all is well. He has certainly sustained a fair bit of physical damage, but none of it is especially concerning. To be honest, I do find it strange that he has not roused at all, but it may be for the best. In fact, I will probably enchant him to sleep further. It's fairly powerful and highly effective, but it has a drawback in that it keeps the recipient under an induced state of unconsciousness. It might do him some good to simply sleep for a time, though," the sage explained.

"I see," Lance whispered. Despite the sage's words, Keith's unconscious countenance still filled him with a sense of trepidation, but he supposed their was no point in dwelling on him further.

"Would you like a bed to rest in, too?" the sage inquired gently.

"Oh, no, that won't be necessary."

"Will you be resting in the lake, then?"

Lance looked at the sage questioningly at the other man before he gestured towards Lance's leg were his trousers had been torn open from the earlier altercation with the boar. Following the sage's gaze, Lance looked down and spotted a few spots of scales shining through.

"Oh."

The sage chuckled good-naturedly. "You must be fatigued if you're struggling to maintain your form. Go, rest in the lake and be at ease. There's another benevolent Undine in those waters, too. Perhaps she will offer you some welcomed company. I will look over your friend, alongside this sweet dragon here."

Ignisi looked up from where he was lounging and crooned.

"I will. Thank you." Wearily, Lance bowed lightly and quickly exited and made his way to the nearby lake. Even just the thought of the cool and comforting water at his back, over his chest, and all around his face was soothing, and he couldn't wait to give his overworked legs the break they deserved.

Not to mentioned, Lance was also looking forward to the profuse gratitude from Keith that he deserved. He wondered if Keith would look even more handsome while offering thanks. He certainly hoped so. After all that trouble, Lance at least wanted a fine face to gaze upon for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lolol i hope the "fight" scene was ok??
> 
> not really any keith in this chapter, but i hope lance was compelling enough haha


	3. Chapter 3

As Keith opened his eyes, Ignisi crooned at him gently from where he lay at the foot of the bed. For a moment, a hopeful part of Keith believed that he was still in Alicante, waking up to the advent of a new day in which Shiro would once again be waiting for him outside, as always, with a reassuring smile and words of encouragement rolling off his lips. However, the illusion faded within seconds, melting away from him like hot wax off of a candle wilted down to a wisp from time, only to solidify into an unfamiliar room.

At least Ignisi was here with him, as always.

"Ignisi?" Keith groaned quietly, sitting up to stroke his scales. He was warm and familiar, down to the faint scent of burning firewood that followed him everywhere. "What happened?"

Keith remembered jumping through the rift, a large, imposing thing that crackled at the edges ominously, only to find nothing on the other side. In fact, he was hardly convinced that it had even taken him _anywhere_. Then, a flash of lightening ripped through the air, and Keith could almost see the winf splintering apart at the force of the electric stream. His vision prickled at the corners, and, recalling Lance's words, he readied himself for a fight to find the answers and friend he was hoping for.

However, Lance had also unfortunately been correct about the fact that, perhaps, even as an esteemed Dragoon Knight of Altea with a dragon as spectacular as Ignisi as his partner, Keith was being presumptuous at believing that he could successfully face witches, arcanists, and any other magic users that he was bound to come across.

The battle, as Keith remembered it, had been quick. Keith for a time had been capable of avoiding many of the elemental spells they had sent his way before getting close enough to strike a number of them down. Ignisi, too, made quick work of a few of them from a range. While their attacks were powerful, they were also physically frail; a few blows were more than enough to incapacitate them.

Then, as the edges of Keith's vision blurred even further, he suddenly was overwhelmed with the notion that, perhaps, it would be better if he simply allowed the attacks to hit him. He had no hope of finding Shiro; in fact, Shiro was probably already dead, even if the sword clasped to his hip protested violently with the life that remained heavy within. Still, as much as he attempted to reason with himself, Keith's mind raged against himself, and Ignisi's alarmed warnings fell lost in the cracks of the contradictions that ripped away at his thoughts.

It hurt so much more than Keith thought it would. There weren't many physical wounds on his body, but his mind felt as if it were disintegrating down every inch of his head as his thoughts faded into fragments of unknown terror with a tingling sense of deja vu, as if he could almost remember who he was. Almost as if it even mattered, as if _he_ even mattered. He could barely hear or even sense Ignisi there anymore, though he must've still been with him as Keith was still standing, barely.

However, the world itself eventually fell away from Keith, too, leaving a grand emptiness like reality had never been more than a dream constructed by an abandoned boy to give him a false world as the only thing he could call his own; there was no Shiro that ever cared for him, no fierce dragon that chose him over everyone else because Keith wasn't someone or even _something_  worthy of him, and no Undine with his pretty eyes and breathtaking smile to meet again. Even if Keith called out for someone, anyone, he would be left alone and wanting as always because there was no one. There never had been.

All that remained was the one single shred of truth that he was alone.

There was no ground underneath his feet, despite that fact that he yet still stood, and all that surrounded him was infinitely oppressive darkness that constricted against his very core, despite the fact that someone else must have been there to inflict the new wounds blooming painfully across his body.

Keith was scared, and there was no way for him to escape it. No matter where he moved, there was nothing to reach out to and no one to help him. No one existed in this world with him after all.

Before long, the despair had overtaken him, and Keith fell and fell to the sound of Ignisi's pained screams, which Keith had probably fashioned from his imagination to provide him one last solace of hope in his desolate time of a death, and a desperate howl that was somehow familiar to Keith, even though he couldn't identify it. Something broke, and Keith drifted.

Just as he was prepared to let himself melt away completely, though, a single ray of light, weak but warm, glowed before him, and the illusion ravaging holes across Keith's mind lifted. He remembered that Ignisi was real, there beside Keith's prone form and desperately calling for him in his thoughts, and that he was there to find Shiro, his mentor and friend that deserved Keith's help, just as he had aided Keith before and more. Another roar erupted next to him, and then there was only him and Ignisi, left beaten and battered, but together.

Suddenly, his scattered thoughts settled on Lance, that lovely little Undine he had stumbled upon days ago whose teasing smile and sparking eyes had invaded after corner of his mind. Lance did exist. Keith wanted to see him again.

In fact, after the crushing magic had finally floated away, Keith felt as if Lance was within Keith's sights once again. He worried that perhaps the fantasy yet remained a plague over his mind, though, because, even as his thoughts slowly began to piece themselves together into his true reality, his vision still swam. Figures and objects bled into each other as if in battle with one another, and colors grew both duller and brighter as they drilled into Keith's head violently.

Then, he had woken up in a strange room in a place he had no recollection of.

As if sensing Keith's rapidly mounting confusion, Ignisi languidly sauntered over to Keith before impressing his own memories into Keith's mind. Scenes of Lance, with a very new set of human legs, hauling an unconscious Keith through a heavily wooded forest flashed before him before they shifted to moments of a arduous encounter with a staggeringly large boar, all with a stranger dressed in foreboding armor that was not exactly Galran aiding and guiding them back across the border to Altea before Lance had directed Ignisi to this quaint village. And it was all for Keith's sake.

All the while, Ignisi's thoughts were inundated with affection for Lance despite his rooted wonder regarding Lance's apparent past within the Galra Empire.

Keith couldn't muster up the strength or even desire to think differently. "I see that you truly have taken a liking to him, which is rare for one as finicky as you."

Ignisi hummed in agreement as he settled against Keith's side, head lolling in contentment.

"Then where is he now?"

"Are you wondering about that young Undine who escorted you here?" Keith spun around at the voice and found that they belonged to the man who, according to Ingisi's memories, was the sage who had tended to Keith. "Though, I suppose that it is probably inaccurate to call him young, no matter how youthful he might seem."

"Thank you for caring for me." Keith bowed his head from where he remained sitting in bed. "Please tell me what I can do for you as compensation."

The man laughed jovially, setting down the small crate he was carrying. "Please, be at ease. I am always more than happy to give aid to those who need it. Furthermore, your Undine companion already gave me plenty of fruit that he had found nearby. The cold is beginning to set in, so I am grateful that he managed to scrounge up a few sugar apples beforehand."

"Is he still in the vicinity, then?" Keith asked.

"Oh yes, of course. I doubt that he would simply leave you here without a farewell. In fact, upon delivering the fruit he picked earlier today, he also inquired about you. He seemed disappointed that you had yet to awaken."

"What time is it now?"

"Oh, just a little past noon," the sage replied. "In fact, I'm somewhat surprised to see you awake so soon. It may be best for you to rest a bit longer."

Keith shook his head, already swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "I'm afraid that I've slept for long enough. Do you happen to know where he might be right now?"

"I would imagine he's resting in the nearby lake. He seemed quite fatigued himself when you first arrived, so I suggested that he take some time to recuperate there." The man paused. "Are you certain you feel well enough to go out searching for him?"

Keith nodded. "Yes, I feel great. Thank you." He bowed again as Ignisi hopped onto his shoulder.

The sage nodded back, a serene smile on his face. "I am glad to hear that. Please be well, and do not hesitate to come back if you feel the need."

The man gave Keith directions to find the lake, but Keith probably would've been able to find it with little trouble otherwise; within minutes of leaving the edge of the village, he had spotted the shoreline of the massive lake. It glittered elegantly under the high sun as children played happily at the edge some paces away as their parents looked on happily.

Keith, for just a moment, felt jealous. Then, he felt ridiculous.

"Lance!" Keith called out, desperate to preoccupy himself. "Lance, are you there?"

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then, large ripples broke the still surface of the water, and, with how clear the water was, Keith could see Lance swimming towards him under the surface. This time, he had his tail, adorned with those pretty blue scales that had flashed through Keith's dreams once over the past few days. The undulation of Lance's body was mesmerizing, and Keith almost felt like a cat entranced by the teasing twitch of a mouse that it had set its sights on.

Strangely enough, Keith suspected that he was the prey in this situation.

While Keith was distracted, Lance finally popped his head out against the water's surface with an eager smile. "You're awake! I'm glad to see that you're doing well. How does it feel to be able to look at your savior in the face now that you're safe and sound and back in Altean territory?" Lance asked cheekily.

"Well, now that I'm looking at him, I have to admit that I'm a bit underwhelmed," Keith deadpanned.

Lance laughed good-naturedly before turning his attention to Ignisi. "And you're here too! I hope you are feeling better, too."

From beside Keith, Ignisi preened, happy for the attention.

"Yes, we're fine now. Thank you for your help." Keith paused as Lance lazily glided closer to him. Lance's eyes were as pretty as Keith remembered. Maybe even prettier. "But how did you manage to find me?"

"The summoning stone I gave you shattered when you were in enough danger," Lance answered breezily, "which allowed me to come to your aid immediately, though never would have suspected that you would already be within Galran territory. Quite impressive, I must say."

"Summoning stone?"

"Oh yes. Gemtones can be carefully enchanted to act as a transporter of sorts when broken, though only certain ones are capable of holding the enchantment for long enough to be useful. In fact, larimar is quite difficult to come by." Lance sighed dramatically, shoulders falling back into the water. "Hopefully Hunk is be able to find more suitable gemstones soon."

"Why did you give it to me?" Keith asked.

"What do you mean? To help you in your time of need, of course, especially considering the last time we saw each other, you were preparing to set off on some ridiculous quest all by yourself. I am not the type to simply allow people to march wildly to their death," Lance responded.

"I suppose what I really mean to ask is, why did you choose to give me help in the first place?"

Lance remained silent for some time and instead glided through the water at Keith's feet slowly. "To be honest, I have been quite preoccupied with these rifts for some time myself. While they usually form closer to the border between Altea and the Galra Empire, some of them do appear further in the heart of Altea, though I suppose you're already aware of that, considering what happened to Vargon."

Lance crept closer to Keith, prompting Keith to sit by him.

"Not too long ago, there was a wonderfully endearing couple that lived in my wood: a handsome man and woman who always had the prettiest smile on her face. They would often walk near my humble ravine, and I adored watching them. One day, one of those rifts appeared near my wood. Initially, I paid the incident little attention as not much seemed amiss afterwards. A few days later, I saw the woman again. This time, she was alone without her smile that I loved so much. I later discovered that he had been killed by an unnatural creature that had appeared from that rift."

"Was it one that was similar to that boar you faced the other day?"

"Most likely, but the one that had crossed over into Altea didn't survive for long. If I had to guess, I would hypothesize that it was less functionally stable than the boar, and thus was unable to live for much longer," Lance explained before tiredly laid his head on the grass beside Keith. "I don't tolerate the people of my wood being wronged. So, I decided that I would do something about these rifts."

"You should have gone with me earlier, then, instead of just giving me something that would only delay your involvement," Keith argued softly.

"I won't say you're wrong," Lance murmured. "I was hoping that you would manage to acquire more information surrounding these rifts before any major trouble had befallen. Alas, you instead far surpassed my expectations and ended up jumping right through a rift within a week." Lance sighed again, drawing his head back and floating away from the edge. "I just wanted to spend more time with the residents of my wood before I had to leave."

"That just shows how much you love your people," Keith said.

"Yes, I suppose that's not incorrect, even if it's not the truth," Lance whispered with a forlorn look on his face, eyes fixed on some faraway sight over the horizon."

"And now?"

"Now, it's time for me to accept my responsibilities for the people that I love." Lance flicked his tail a few times, pushing himself forward once more towards Keith. "I want to join you in your efforts. Will you give me one more night here before you head out? I haven't used my legs that heavily for some time, and I fear I am still too fatigued for a major trek."

Keith began to shake his head and refuse to leave Shiro waiting for the promise of Lance's help. However, after an unhappy growl from Ignisi, coupled with a pleading look from Lance that sparkled entreatingly like the scales adorning his tail, Keith dropped his shoulders in resignation. Logically, he knew that running off on his own with no plan was as effective as he wanted it to be. Emotionally, however, it still stung. "Fine. We'll stay here until tomorrow before we set out again."

Happily, Lance's expression perked up as he swished his tail again with vigor. "Perfect! At this point, I think there's little benefit to trying to rush in Galran territory again. In my opinion, we should attempt to gain more information on these apparent magick users within the Galra Empire first. I believe that the capital will be a good starting place. There is a fairly large concentration of enchanters there, after all."

Keith exhaled dramatically as he stood up wearily. "Yes, let's do that." He dusted himself off in preparation to leave. "I'll come fetch you tomorrow morning, and then we can further decide what we should do next."

Lance tilted his head questioningly. "You're not going to ask why that stranger from the Galra Empire recognized me? I highly doubt that Ignisi didn't show you any of that in his memories to you."

"Amongst all the efforts that you went through for my sake, I figured that that small mystery was the least of my concerns," Keith answered with a shrug. "If you want to tell me regardless, I'm willing to listen."

Lance chuckled heartily, playfully flipping water up by Keith's feet. "You're a bit more mature than I expected, aren't you? Well, it never does one good to reveal all of their secrets at the beginning, so I suppose I have no choice but to keep this to myself," Lance hummed as he swam further into the lake. "For now, I think the two of us should get more rest before we start this adventure up again. Oh, and tomorrow, I would be grateful if you can scrounge up some clothes for me. The garments I wore when I came to your rescue were a bit ravaged, and, while I think my naked form is quite a sight to behold, I would still prefer to not parade around in the nude."

Keith nodded sharply with a short chuckle before walking back towards the village, the sound of gently lapping waves punctuating his steps.

 

* * *

 

 

"So that's the boy you went and nearly risked your life for?" a voice called out amongst the crashing of the small ripples pushing lightly against Lance. "Well, I suppose he is cute. In fact, I would argue that he matches your type almost perfectly: an aloof, brooding gaze with just enough optimism buried within that it's hard to begrudge him."

Lance spun around, displacing the water around him violently. "That's not the issue here, and you know it, Alda."

"I know, I know," Alda soothed as she swam over to Lance. She pet his hair playfully. "Still, you _do_  find him attractive, do you not?"

Lance didn't deny her.

"Nonetheless," she continued as they both moved further away from the edge of the lake, "I still don't entirely approve of this scheme that you've devised up regarding these rifts."

"I can't just let them be, though. They're growing larger in numbers and have had greater staying power, recently. It's impossible to say for certain what the future of these rifts will bring, but I'm sure that it's nothing good," Lance argued. "Before we're even aware of it, something horrible might come forth concerning Altea and the Galra Empire."

"Of course I'm aware that you would never simply let the matter lie," Alda breezed. "We were borne from the same water, after all. I know you. Even so, I find it both amusing and infuriating to see you berate that boy for his recklessness when you are nearly the same."

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?" Lance grumbled.

"As opposed to saying, I'd like to ask why you're doing this again. I thought you vowed to never get involved in the affairs of mortals again."

"How could I possibly not get involved when my people are being terrorized by some unknown force?" Lance argued.

Alda sighed, slapping Lance's tail with her own lightly. "Those are not the mortals I was referring to, and you know it. Please, just cooperate with me this once. Have you not been hurt enough by another in the past? I thought you would have learned from that and realized that little can come from entangling yourself so deeply with mortals. The way they live their lives is too dissimilar to ours."

Lance huffed loudly, abruptly sinking his head under the water. Restlessly, he swam circles around Alda, aggressive tail beats leaving heavy wakes along his path. Eventually, he stopped and rose up once more. His eyes were bright and pierced through the sun rays beaming down on them. "Alda, please, I don't wish to speak about it anymore. Be assured that I won't be careless this time, but I must do this."

Alda sighed again, breath full of expectant resignation. "Listen to you. Despite all the years that have gone by, you're still quite immature, aren't you?"

Lance bristled at her words.

"In addition, it displeases me _immensely_ ," she dragged the last word out with a shrill glare, much to Lance's chagrin, "that you refuse to allow me to join you. Do you think you're the only one whose people have been suffering?"

"Just for now," Lance countered, swimming around Alda slowly in an attempt to have her look him in his pouting face. She refused to, though. Undoubtedly, she was already aware of his ploy for pathos. "As long as these rifts remain so unpredictable, it would be best to keep someone near the border, where they appear most often, to monitor them. As it stands, you are the best candidate to do so. Once these disturbances grow more frequent, and undoubtedly more stable in nature and action, then I would gladly have you join me."

Alda stared at Lance keenly. "It angers me even more that your reasoning is so sound." Quietly, she wrapped the base of her tail around Lance's for a moment before unraveling herself. "Perhaps you have grown up a bit. While a bit annoying, it is nice to see another from my kin grow so well."

"Thank you, Alda."

Alda shook her head. "Nonetheless, I suspect that I wouldn't be able to stop you, even if I truly wished. I know that look."

"Yeah," Lance whispered. "I do too."

 

* * *

 

"Lance!" Keith called out across the lake. The surface was tranquil with only a hint of activity from the gentle breeze that carried itself over the surface. "Have you rested well?"

"Keith!" Lance appeared from a few paces to the side of Keith before floating over. "I am well, and you? I know how fragile you mortals can be."

Keith scoffed. "I am also well, thank you. I'm not a regular mortal. I am still a Dragoon Knight of Altea."

"Yes, of course," Lance breezed. "I almost forgot without Ignisi by your side."

"He's simply inside my dagger for now," Keith explained. "The attention that a free roaming dragon draws can be bothersome at times."

"I would imagine so."

"Anyway, here are the clothes you requested," Keith said, handing them over. "I made an educated guess regarding which garments would fit you best. I hope they are at least close."

Wordlessly, Lance lifted himself out of the lake. His tail was still present, but it melted away before Keith's eyes once dragged out of the water. Slowly, the scales seemed to peel away from Lance's body, but they didn't fall off. Instead, they disappeared into Lance's skin and, in their place, a long pair of legs replaced them.

In addition, so did Lance's... privates.

Quickly, Keith turned his head away from the sight. He could feel the hot flush overtake his face, which only grew fiercer as Lance laughed.

"Oh, I forgot how conservative some of you mortals can be," Lance said lightly. For a few moments, the sound of rustling clothes broke the peaceful silence. "You can turn around now."

Slowly, Keith turned and, irritatingly, found himself one part disappointed at the sight of Lance fully clothed. "I'm glad that they appear to fit well," Keith muttered, flustered.

"You think so?" Lance wondered aloud. "I wish they were a bit more form-fitting. After putting in so much effort to conjure form these legs, I wouldn't mind to have pants that showed them off a touch better."

"I think they look great as is," Keith admitted.

"Oh?" Lance drawled. "Do you like my legs then, Keith?"

Once again, Keith could feel the red flush creep up his face as Ignisi laughed at his predicament in the back of his head. "That is of no matter right now. We should be considering our next course of action instead."

Lance, too, sniggered teasingly, but let the matter drop with a devious smile. "Yes, you have a point. I take it that you have a map of Altea on you, correct?"

"Of course." Keith drew out his map. From where they currently were, Alicante was quite a ways away, nestled not exactly within the center of Altea, but deep enough that most outside forces were not an immediate threat.

"I don't think it would be wise to head straight to Alicante as quickly as possible," Lance mused. "Even though I believe that the enchanters there will be of most use to use individually, I think, as a whole, talking to as many people as we can across the region will also provide us a plentitude of information."

"I agree," Keith said. "Furthermore, Alicante is far away enough that even a direct route there will take some time. Regardless, we would need to rest in various towns and villages along the way."

Lance nodded. "In addition, I would appreciate it if we could stop by my ravine. There are a few things that I would like to do there that I believe will help us greatly."

"Alright."

"Then..." Lance muttered, "why don't we head here for now?" He pointed at a town on the map marked Yevoc. "It is overall en route to both Alicante and Doma, the town closest to my ravine, and it also rests along several major trade routes. We are likely to encounter a wide variety of people there they may have information regarding these rifts."

Keith listened intently before giving a decisive nod in response. "I see no problems with that."

Lance beamed happily. "Then our first plan of action is decided!" He began to walk.

"Wait!" Keith called out as he scrambled to follow. "Do you not have anything you need to bring with you?"

Lance turned and gave Keith a sheepish grin. "Well, I was hoping that you would simply have all the supplies necessary. These material mortal things are so vexing to me, you know. You understand, right?"

Despite the unimpressed stare Keith could feel encroaching on his face, Lance's bright expression still managed to settle his annoyance. "Yes, _of course_ I understand that these material mortal things are above your comprehension," Keith ground out sarcastically.

Regardless, Lance only gave him a wide smile that Keith had no choice but to return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope this chapter wasn't too boring?
> 
> i am hopeful that the story will pick up soon LOL


End file.
